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New Booze Crackdown

The man in charge of Cornwall's police says the damage done to the Duchy by alcohol is "immense."

The Police and Crime Commissioner is worried about the impact on everything from patrols to hospitals.

The clear-up bill stands at £366 million.

Tony Hogg has pulled together officials to talk about how to crack down on boozy trouble across the south west: "I'm only too aware that the fear of crime is greater in rural communities sometimes and that the issue of alcohol is just as significant. We'll be bringing those communities together with the coastal and the urban in this think-tank.

"Every day we are seeing disproportionate amount of policing efforts and efforts in the health service all being directed, in a way needlessly, towards clearing up after this harm caused by alcohol."

Acting sergeant Paul Freestone has just headed up a street drinking operation in Camborne: "We've seen an increase in anti-social behaviour and up to the point of violent crime mainly caused by these street drinkers and if they do come back they are liable to arrest."

He is hoping the conference will lead to more action on the ground: "There's no reason why sergeants and inspectors can't set up their own local operations, identify where their local problems with alcohol are and then they can set up these operations quite easily."